A bus system typically includes two or more bus assemblies, one or more bus assembly connectors, as well as a plurality of plug-in units. Each bus assembly includes one or more phase-conductors and a housing. For example, in a three phase system, the bus assembly may include three live phase-conductors or three live phase-conductors and one neutral-conductor, depending on the type of system architecture being employed. To draw power, various plug-in units or electrical components may be directly connected to one or more plug-in connection sites spaced along the bus assemblies. Each bus assembly connector is used to physically and electrically connect two sections or sets of bus assemblies together.
Current bus assembly connectors are bulky and it is desired that their overall size be decreased. Considering that the dimensions of the phase members cannot be readily altered, one method to decrease the size of the bus assembly connectors is to reduce the spaces between the phase members (referred to herein as the phase spaces). A problem occurs when the existing bus assembly connector is decreased in size to make the overall size of the bus assembly connector more compact. In particular, as a result of decreasing the sizes of the individual phase spaces within the bus assembly connector, an unintended change may occur in the amount of creepage and/or through-air clearance that occurs between the phase members, thereby rendering the bus assembly connector no longer satisfactory for the particular creepage and clearance standards for which it is intended to be used.
A common problem in assembling such bus assembly connectors is that one or more phase members may be incorrectly oriented with respect to the other phase members. Another common problem is that a portion or all of one or more phase members may be placed at the incorrect phase location (i.e. phase A, B, or C) when assembling the bus assembly connector such that a conductor plate of a phase member faces an incorrect phase (e.g. ground conductor being in the wrong position). Another problem that occurs is when a portion of a phase member, such as a conductor plate, is inadvertently omitted when assembling the bus assembly connector. These types of errors may cause the bus assembly connector to operate incorrectly and may cause serious damage to persons or property if used in the overall bus system.
Additionally, bus assemblies, which include phase conductors of the bus assembly sections that are inserted into the bus assembly connectors, which electrically connect two bus assemblies, are in wide use in the commercial settings. The components that form the bus assembly are typically manufactured as having substantially large lengths to allow the bus assembly sections to traverse large areas of a building to carry power. However, the bus assemblies may undergo extreme stresses along their lengths due to electromotive forces generated during a shorting event. Exterior or interior clamping and supports of the bus conductors to protect against shorting EMF displacement may be used. These clamps and supports must of course be provided with adequate dielectric protection.
Thus, a need exists for an improved bus assembly connector and fortifying assembly for use with a bus assembly that satisfies one or more of these needs and solves these problems.